1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to golfer stroke-hole indicating devices and more particularly to devices which are usable easily and conveniently to provide accurate indications of holes of a golf course on which strokes may be given by one golfer to another. The devices of the invention are highly reliable and are readily and economically manufacturable.
2. Background of the Prior Art
A golf handicap system has been in use for many years which allows golfers to adjust for differences in abilities and equalize the chances of winning a match. This handicap system is an excellent system which has been developed to a highly sophisticated degree in the United States under the auspices of the United States Golf Association, and under regional and local associations, golf clubs and golf course managements. In the operation of the system, each golfer reports his scores to a handicap-determining body and is assigned a handicap based upon his prior performances in relation to the "par" score that an expert golfer would be expected to make on an 18 hole course in errorless play without flukes under ordinary weather conditions, allowing two strokes on each putting green. With the system, a golfer having an established handicap may compete on a fair basis with any other such golfer in the United States or for that matter, in many foreign countries in which the system has also been established.
In the operation of the system, two golfers having a handicaps of 10 and 15, for example, may be expected have a scores of 10 and 15 greater than par when both play to substantially the best of their respective abilities. Using the handicap system, competitions between the two golfers may be arranged on a medal play basis, based upon the total scores without regard to scores on particular holes. However, friendly competitions between two golfers are almost always arranged on a match play basis in which holes are played one-by-one, each being won, lost or halved. A golfer becomes the winner when he or she wins a number of holes which is in excess of those that he or she has lost and which is in excess of any remaining holes.
To equalize match play competitions, a system has been established to indicate the order of holes at which handicap strokes are to be given or received, the order being based upon the estimated relative difficulty of play of the holes. The most difficult hole of any particular course is No. 1 in the handicap order, the next most difficult hole is No. 2, and so on, the least difficult being the No. 18 handicap hole. Such handicap order numbers are different for different courses and are generally different for men and ladies. In a particular course, for example, the hole which is No. 1 in the handicap order for men may be No. 7 in the order of play, while the hole which is No. 1 in the handicap order for ladies may be No. 3 in the order of play.
In a match between a 10 handicap golfer and a 15 handicap golfer, the 10 handicap golfer is expected to give one stroke on each of the five holes having handicap order numbers of 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. If the No. 1 handicap hole is the No. 7 hole in the playing order, the 15 handicap golfer wins that hole if both have the same score thereon, the golfers halve the hole if the score of the 15 handicap golfer is one greater than that of the 10 handicap golfer and the 15 handicap golfer loses the hole only if his or her score is 2 strokes or more greater than that of the 10 handicap golfer.
The handicap order numbers are established by the management of each golf course and are typically printed on the score card of each course. In scoring a match between two golfers, a scorer is required to carefully study the score card to determine those holes having a handicap order number equal to or less than the number of strokes to be given by one golfer to another. Usually, the scorer circles the hole numbers of the stroke holes, or otherwise marks such holes. Then he or she may mark each hole on behalf of one golfer with a +, - or 0, according to whether that golfer wins, loses or halves the hole, after taking into account whether a stroke is given or received by that golfer on that hole.